Artisanal 1

Artisanal 1

This piece was created during an artist residency in the spring of 2016. This was where this series began and was first developed, a breakthrough in the artist's work and beginning of a new direction.

The work was created by hand stitching and weaving re-purposed aluminum beer cans with fabrics, paper, mesh and wire and painted in acrylic and enamel paints. The aluminum all comes from craft breweries, and the language of that is important to the artist. The choice of the word "craft" specifically as it is used to elevate the product in one instance, and used to discredit and downplay the value when applied in an art context.

This balance and dance between "fine art" and "craft", masculine and feminine, representational and abstract are the basis of the series.